What?
by bemj11
Summary: How did Minerva McGonagall react to a werewolf coming to Hogwarts?-Permanently unfinished.
1. Chapter 1

Obviously, I don't own Harry Potter or any associated stuff.

Chapter One:

A What?

"Good morning, Poppy." Dumbledore greeted the nurse as she entered his office. "Lemon Drop?"

"Good morning, Albus. No thank you." She declined the offer. She was more interested in why Albus wanted to speak with her.

"Thank you for coming." Albus said. "I know you have work to do to prepare for the upcoming school year.

"I'm not to busy for the Headmaster." She replied with a laugh. He smiled, but seemed a bit preoccupied. At least, preoccupied for him.

"What is it, Albus?" She asked. "Is everything alright?"

"I wanted to ask you about a student." He said in that maddeningly round about way he had of addressing important things, and Poppy groaned inwardly. She would be here a while, and she did have work to do.

"A student? Is someone hurt? Did something happen? Was there some sort of attack-"

Dumbledore cut her off. "No, nobody's been attacked, Poppy."

She sighed in relief. "Then what?" She asked irritably. "What is it?"

"There is a child that I am considering accepting into Hogwarts this fall." Albus said slowly.

"A child that is not on the list?" She asked skeptically. Magical children were put on the list as soon as they showed any kind of ability to do magic.

"Exactly. He was born in Romania, where he lived for nine years."

"Still…" Poppy trailed off, uncertain of where this was leading.

"He is a rather unusual child." Albus said. "The school board and the Minister both have advised against accepting him. I wanted to ask for your opinion because you will be heavily involved with him if he is accepted."

Poppy searched her mind for a reason she would be more involved with a child than the professors. "Is he disabled?" She asked.

"Some would call it that." Albus replied slowly. "Others would call it an illness, disease, affliction: some would call it a curse."

"I don't understand."

"The child is a werewolf." Albus said, and Poppy was sure she was hearing things. After all, Albus was considered mad by many, but he wouldn't actually go so far as to let a werewolf in a school full of children! Would he?

"A what?" She asked incredulously. "The child is a what?"

"A werewolf." He said calmly.

"You want to let a werewolf in here, in Hogwarts? Among people, and, and, and children?" Poppy couldn't believe this.

"We could take precautions to keep him and the other students safe." Albus explained.

"Keep _him _safe? He's a werewolf! You know, werewolf! Not a kitten or a puppy, a werewolf! Do you know what those things are capable of?" This was ridiculous.

Albus continued as if he hadn't heard her. "He could go to the abandoned shack in Hogsmeade, it's close to the school. We have a tunnel dug from the grounds to the shack, hide it, and he'll be safe on the night of the full moon."

"Hide it?" Poppy spluttered.

"Yes, I thought a whomping willow would do the trick-"

Poppy Pomfrey was one of the very few people who would ever even dream of interrupting Albus Dumbledore. "A whomping willow? This is ridiculous! I can't believe you're even considering this!"

Albus seemed undisturbed. "Right, well, the problem is, there is a theory that if a werewolf cannot get out to attack people, it turns on itself, which is where you would come in, Poppy. He would need care after the full moon."

"Albus!" Poppy snapped. "Are you insane?" She couldn't believe what she was hearing.

He looked at her, and there was a hint of sadness in his eyes. "No, I'm not. I am serious about this, which is why I wanted your opinion. This decision affects you. A lot. And if you don't want to be involved, it can't be done."

Poppy sighed. "Albus, I-"

Albus stopped her. "Before you decide, would you come with me and meet the child?"

"You haven't met him yet?" Poppy was confused. Was he really wanting _her_ to make the decision here? Usually Albus did what he thought best no matter what anybody else said or thought.

"I am going to see him now." Albus replied.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two:

You want to do what?

Albus was off his rocker. Minerva was certain of it. He had just told the staff that he would be accepting a werewolf into Hogwarts this fall. He was explaining that it would be different, and probably difficult for everyone involved, but he wanted everyone to give the child a chance.

"And what would his name be?" Flitwick asked once he had recovered sufficiently enough to ask the least important of questions about Dumbledore's announcement.

"Remus Lupin." Albus replied.

Minerva was still too shocked to say a word.

"This is the first time anything like this has ever been attempted." Dumbledore continued. "So you will have to feel your way along. He may need to miss classes if they coincide with the full moon, but I assume if that is the case, Poppy will inform those involved, correct?"

"Yes." Poppy said with a sharp nod. "And he probably will."

Minerva stared at Poppy. So she already knew. But why would she be told before anyone else?

Albus went on to explain how he planned to cope with the werewolf's 'affliction.' Eventually the meeting was over, and Minerva and Albus were the only two left in the staffroom.

"Albus?" Minerva asked softly.

"Yes, Minerva?" Albus replied.

"You want to do what?" She must have been hallucinating or something.

"Accept a werewolf into Hogwarts." He answered.

"Why?"

Albus was silent for a moment. "He's only a child, Minerva. He didn't ask for this to happen to him."

Minerva sighed. "Whatever you say, Albus. Whatever you say."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three:

You Agree With Him?

"You already knew about this?" Minerva asked. She was aggravated, pacing across the room. Poppy sighed and stopped her work. At this rate the Hospital Wing would never be ready for students.

But Minerva came first. "Come into my office, and we'll talk." Poppy told her friend. Minerva followed her, and sat down in one of the chairs facing the desk. Poppy sat down as well, and summoned some tea.

She prepared a cup, and handed it to Minerva, who took it without objection. She prepared her own, took a sip, and turned to face the other woman.

"Now, you want to know why I already knew about Remus." Poppy said. "If he comes to Hogwarts, he will probably spend a lot of time in the Hospital Wing. Therefore, I would need to be able to deal with him being a werewolf. If I couldn't handle it, he wouldn't be able to come."

"So you agree with him letting a werewolf into Hogwarts?" Minerva asked, disbelief evident in her voice.

"He isn't just a werewolf, Minerva. He's an eleven year old child. He's no different from any other eleven year old we let into Hogwarts."

"Except for the fact that he's a werewolf."

Poppy sighed. "That's what I thought too. Just give him a chance, Minerva. Please?"

Minerva was silent. "Alright." She said. "He's never steered us wrong before, has he?"

Poppy smiled. "Dumbledore? Never. He knows what he's doing." Maybe, Poppy thought.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four:

Trouble at the Sorting

Minerva simply stared at Hagrid. "A fight? Already?" She found it hard to believe that two first year students had already had enough time to have a reason to be involved in a fight.

"Yeah." Hagrid nodded.

"A fistfight?"

"Mostly name callin' and hair pullin' Some fists."

Minerva shook her head in disbelief. "And you couldn't get them to stop?"

"No, they jus' ignored me and kept right on at it."

That was the part Minerva found hardest to believe. That any student would be to busy fighting to stop when Hagrid ordered them to. Most first years were terrified of Hagrid for the first couple weeks of school.

"Do you know which students?" Hagrid shook his head. "Very well, I'll go take care of it. Thank you, Hagrid." As she left the Great Hall she wondered if the werewolf boy were involved. She shook her head. "You told Poppy you'd give him a chance." She told herself sternly. "It doesn't have to be him causing it."

And it wasn't. It was actually two boys, James Potter, and Lucius Malfoy. Several other boys stood at the edge of the fight, watching.

"What is the meaning of this?" She asked, glowering at the group. They looked up. One let go of the other and stood up.

"Well, you see, miss, this git Malfoy here called this little guy here a mudblood because he didn't know what the school houses or quidditch were, and he wanted to know what a mudblood was and _this_ kid here said it was a term used by morons for people with muggle parents, and Malfoy said he'd show him who was a moron and pulled his wand on him and so I had to punch Malfoy in the face. There wasn't anything else I could do, really." A boy with dark hair and glasses said.

"Really?" She asked.

"Really." He shot her a winning smile.

"Well, you should both lose points for fighting, but seeing as you haven't been sorted yet, I'm going to let you off with a warning. However, it had better not happen again."

"Don't worry," Said the dark-haired boy. "As long as Malfoy isn't a jerk, it won't happen again."

The boy who had been referred to as a kid snorted. He had shoulder length black hair and a mischievous twinkle in his eyes.

"So, what's a muggle?" Asked the 'little guy,' a small, thin boy with light brown hair almost inaudibly.

"A person who can't do magic." Piped up another, chubbier boy.

"Oh. Well, I'm not that. Or the other."

"The correct term for the other is muggle-born." Said the boy with long dark hair.

"Doesn't matter what you call it, it doesn't change what it is." Sneered the boy who had been identified as Malfoy. He had shoulder-length hair too, but his was a very light blonde.

"Don't make me rearrange your face." Threatened the boy with glasses. He looked thoughtful. "Actually, it would probably be an improvement."

"Couldn't get any worse." Added the boy with long dark hair.

"Enough!" Minerva snapped. "The sorting is waiting for you."

"Oh, right." Said the boy with glasses. "Sorry. Let's go."

And they all adjourned into the Great Hall. It was not promising to be a good year.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five:

The Werewolf, Part One

It was time for the first class of the first day. And it was a class of first years. An omen, Sybill had declared. An omen speaking of trouble and pain and sorrow and tears. And Minerva wondered if she was right.

Not that Minerva had ever had held Sybill's prophecies in high regard. She had no tolerance for divination. It was all guesswork. Mostly inaccurate guesswork.

But Minerva did have a feeling that this would not be a great start to a wonderful year with these students. But maybe it was just because four of the boys from the fight last night were sitting there, flashing what she assumed were supposed to be winning smiles.

Well, two of them were. The chubby boy looked excited and anxious, and the small boy was staring hard at the desk. Anyway, it was time to begin. Minerva looked at the roll.

And realized that Remus Lupin was also in this class. As if those four weren't enough. She had to deal with the werewolf first thing in the morning too!

She began calling roll. "Black, Sirius." Was the boy with long black hair.

"Yo!" He said. Minerva fixed him with a glare. "I mean, here." He corrected, but the twinkle never left his eyes.

"Evans, Lilly." Was a girl with shoulder length red hair and green eyes. She sat alert and appeared eager to learn, as she had her book, some parchment, a quill, and ink on her desk, ready to take notes.

"Longbottom, Frank." Was a stocky boy with brown hair who had nearly missed his name because of a discussion he was having with the brown haired girl sitting next to him.

"Longbottom, Jesse." Turned out to be the girl Frank had been sitting next to. Frank had flinched when Minerva had called her name, and she looked up.

"It's J.J." She had corrected. "Not Jesse."

"J.J.?" Minerva had asked doubtfully.

"J.J." Jesse had repeated icily. Minerva decided she would ask about it later and continued down the list.

She paused as she reached the name Lupin. Was she ready to meet the werewolf? She scanned her classroom briefly, trying to guess which one it was.

"Lupin, Remus." She said at last. And mentally winced at how cold her voice had sounded.

"That's me." Came the soft reply. It was the small boy from the night before. He didn't meet her eyes.

Minerva was surprised. This small child was a werewolf? How could he be?

Minerva shook her head and continued with the roll to discover that "Pettigrew, Peter," was the chubby boy from last night, and "Potter, James," was the boy with dark hair and glasses.

When she had finished taking roll, she began the lesson. She explained some things to them and then set them to reading the first section, after which they would receive a match to transfigure into a needle. It was a simple lesson designed to give the students some self confidence while teaching some important basics.

All her students opened their books right away. After about fifteen minutes, Lilly Evans raised her hand and asked for a match. Potter and Black asked for theirs soon after, and gradually the other students began to claim theirs.

Except for Lupin, who was still staring at his book five minutes after everybody else had finished reading.

Minerva slowly walked around the room checking students' progress until she reached Remus' seat. He was still staring at the first page.

"Is there a problem?" She asked, a trifle sharper than she intended. He started, then looked up at her.

"I can't read this." He said with a shy smile. It was a joke, of course, meant to impress the other boys. He didn't have to listen to her.

"Why not?" She asked impatiently.

"Because." He stared at the book, the smile back. "I can't read."

Minerva took a deep breath. Everyone else had stopped to watch, and some of the students were giggling. "And why not?"

He shrugged. "I don't know."

This had gone far enough. "Get to work. You are expected to have this done by the end of class."

"But-"

"Look, Mr. Lupin. Maybe your fellow classmates find this amusing. I, however, do not. Quit playing and do your work."

"I'm not playing." He insisted.

Minerva sighed. "You can either do the assignment like everyone else, or you can leave. I am not going to play along."

"Fine." He sneered, his features hardening. The smile was gone. "This is stupid anyway." He picked up his books and stormed out, slamming the door behind him. Hard.

Minerva sighed. She had known this wasn't going to go well.

Everybody else went back work and was finished by the end of the class.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six:

The Werewolf, Part Two

He didn't come to her next class. Minerva supposed she should feel concerned, but really she was relieved. That meant she didn't have to deal with him.

Still, the professional thing to do would be to talk to him. Ask him what the problem was. Why he was doing this. Try to work things out. Even if he was a werewolf.

Maybe he just needed some time to cool off.

But he was supposed to be in class. Whether she had told him to leave or not. Her job was to teach him.

After classes that day, she went looking for Lupin.

Neither Potter nor Black had seen him since the evening before.

"I think he's sick." Said Pettigrew. "He said he had a headache last night."

She headed for the Hospital Wing.

Poppy had met her at the door.

"Hello." She said cheerfully, but she looked upset. "Something wrong?"

"I should ask you the same question." Minerva replied.

"Yes, well, I did ask you first." Poppy replied with a smile.

"Fine. I'm looking for Lupin. Mr. Pettigrew said he might be here."

"He is." She led the way into the Hospital Wing.

Lupin lay in one of the beds. He seemed to be asleep. Poppy bent over and felt his forehead.

"Remus, dear." She said softly. "Someone wants to see you."

He opened his eyes and looked around. When he saw Minerva he scowled.

"Her?" He asked. His voice was hoarse, as if he had a sore throat. Poppy nodded. "What does she want?"

"I don't know. You'll have to ask her." Poppy replied.

"I'd rather not." He said angrily.

"Don't you remember what Dumbledore asked you?" She asked him. He made a face.

"Oh, all right. Fine."

"Good." Said Poppy. "I'll be right back." And she left the two of them there alone. Minerva shot her a glare, which Poppy easily returned.

"What do you want?" He sounded less malicious. A little.

"You weren't in class today." She said.

"I thought you didn't want me there." He snapped.

"You were supposed to be there."

He crossed his arms. "You told me to leave."

"Because you were disrupting my class. If you hadn't been, I wouldn't have asked you to leave."

"I thought you didn't want me there." He said again.

"Why would you think that?"

"You stopped at my name. I saw the look on your face as you read it. And your voice sounded different whenever you talked to me than when you talked to anybody else. Angry. And you told me to leave."

"If you wouldn't do your work." She corrected. "Why wouldn't I want you there?" She asked, though she knew the answer.

"You know." It was barely audibly.

"Why would that matter?" She felt like such a hypocrite.

"Doesn't it?" He sounded surprised.

"Should it?" She asked herself.

"No. But it does anyway." He said gloomily.

"It doesn't matter to Dumbledore." She said.

"It does, just not in a bad way." He said. He was probably right.

"It doesn't matter to Madame Pomfrey."

"Does to. She just feels sorry for me because of it." She probably did.

"It has nothing to do with me asking you to leave." That, at least, was true. Maybe.

"Then why did you?"

"I asked you to-"

"If I wouldn't read the book. I told you, I can't read. So if I can't read, I can't read the book, so I have to leave."

"You really can't read?" She found this hard to believe.

"No."

"Why not?" She asked before she could stop herself.

He shrugged. "Mother and father never taught me."

"Why not?" She really needed to think before she said anything else.

"I guess father doesn't see any reason to."

"What about your mum?"

"She's dead."

"Oh." She really needed to stop asking such stupid questions.

"Can you teach me?"

"To read?" Minerva asked, surprised.

"Yes."

"Sure." She said, not knowing what else to say.

"Really?" He was skeptical now, watching her carefully.

"Really." What was she getting herself into?

"Th-" He interrupted himself with a huge yawn. He blinked, and shook his head. "Thanks."

Poppy chose that moment to reappear

"So why weren't you in my class today?" Minerva asked again, this time to make the point that he was welcome back.

Poppy stared at her.

"Madame Pomfrey said I had to stay in bed till tomorrow at the earliest."

"Why?" Minerva wondered aloud. And why was Poppy given her such an incredulous look.

He shrugged. "She's worried I'll overexert myself."

Again Minerva asked why.

This time, he gave her a strange look.

"You need to rest." Poppy said to the boy.

"I'm fine." He protested. "I told you it wasn't as bad as usual."

"It was bad enough."

"It's just a couple of scratches. I'm fine."

"No." Poppy said simply.

"I can sit up. I can stand. I can walk."

"But you aren't going to." Poppy said. Then she turned to Minerva. "Perhaps you should go. He does need his rest."

Minerva followed Poppy out into the hallway.

"Good grief, Minerva. What on earth is the matter with you?" Poppy asked once they had left the Hospital Wing. "Don't you know why he's here?"

"Pettigrew said he had a headache."

"Last night was the full moon."

"Oh." Minerva felt like an idiot. Why hadn't she thought to find out when the full moon was? Why hadn't that occurred to her?

Because, once you got to talking to him he seemed like any other normal eleven year old. Except that he couldn't read.

Poppy shook her head. "Don't worry. It may have done some good."

Minerva sighed. "I doubt it."

Poppy smiled. "We never can know the full extent of the effect our words have on others."

"If you're going to get philosophical, I'm going to leave." Minerva joked.

"Fine, then. Go on. Just make sure to stop and smell the roses on your way."

Minerva laughed and started to leave. "By the way, what was it that Dumbledore told him?"

"What?" Asked Poppy.

"What did Dumbledore say that got him to talk to me?"

"Oh, that." Poppy laughed, but it was sad. "When Dumbledore asked Remus if he wanted to come to Hogwarts, he said no, thank you. Dumbledore asked why, and Remus said that nobody would want a werewolf there."

"So?"

"So Dumbledore said only the professors would know, and Remus said they still wouldn't want a werewolf there."

Minerva was losing her patience. "And? What did he say?"

"He asked Remus to give them a chance. Maybe they would learn to look past the werewolf and see the person."

Minerva was stunned. "And what did he say?"

"He said he didn't think it would do any good, but he'd try."

Minerva McGonagall determined then and there to be worthy of the chance he was giving her.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven:

Reading Lesson #1

Remus eyed the chalkboard skeptically. Upon it Minerva had written the print alphabet, at least the capitals. She had had absolutely no idea how to go about teaching an eleven year old how to read, but had decided to start with the alphabet. After all, you couldn't read if you didn't know the alphabet, now could you?

"What?" She asked, a trifle too impatiently, as he eyed the board. He flinched at her tone, then answered her question.

"It doesn't look like what dad used." He said. "I've seen him reading and writing stuff, but it didn't look like this."

Minerva wondered what on earth his dad had been using. Obviously it wasn't the Roman alphabet. "Well, there is more than one alphabet used in the world, Remus."

He stared at her, awe-struck. "Really?" He looked worried. "How many? Am I going to have to learn them all?"

Minerva laughed at the question, which quickly brought back the defensive façade that Remus wore so often. "Sorry." She apologized. "You only _have _to learn those used here in England. Print," She guestured towards the board, "the lower-case, and cursive."

"Oh." He said. "That makes it easier." He looked thoughtful. "Then dad uses a different one." He said to himself.

"You remember getting your letter?" Minerva asked.

Remus nodded. "Yeah. Dumbledore gave it to me when I agreed to come here."

"Did you look at the writing on it?" She asked.

He nodded again. Then he looked back at the board. "It had some of those on it, but there were smaller ones too."

"We'll get to those after we've done these." Minerva said. "That was the lower-case alphabet."

"Alphabet? That's what the letters are called?" He asked.

Minerva nodded. "Now this first one is A." She went on to show him how it was written and the sounds it made.

He was a quick learner, she had to admit. By the end of the session he had gotten to J, but Minerva could tell he needed a break. "So," she said. "Same time tomorrow?"

It could have been her imagination, but she thought he looked a bit disappointed. "Okay."

"You're doing really well, Remus." She said. _Goodness,_ when did Minerva ever address students by their first names? It was improper, after all.

But he had just actually managed to smile at that for a fraction of a second. It made him look less exhausted, and closer to his actual age, she thought.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight:

Watching from Afar

Minerva watched from the staff table as Remus and the other boys entered the Great Hall for dinner, laughing and carrying on.

He winced as Black slapped him on the shoulder, but acted as if nothing had happened. The four boys sat down at Gryffindor table and set upon their food, talking animatedly all the while.

Minerva found it interesting that he had made friends so quickly, and with such loud and outgoing boys, especially when he himself was so quiet and withdrawn. Yet they had accepted them as one of their own.

His attention wandered from his companions, distracted by some thought crossing his mind and causing his brow to furrow and a frown to form. It was gone with a quick toss of his head a second later, and he refocused his attention on Potter, but it's shadow remained.

Minerva wondered idly if he had told his friends about his…condition. Probably not, she decided. She frowned herself as she pondered how they might react to such knowledge.

Would they be terrified of him? Would they accept him anyway? Would they be furious with him for not telling them?

She was surprised to find herself hoping that whatever happened, it would be good for young Remus.


End file.
